The food court near my seminary has recently opened a 'smoothie bar', and the bookstore manager has taken a fancy to it; hence, for my birthday, part of my gifts included this book on 'Smoothies'. In it are 50 fancy recipes for smoothies -- blender-produced fruit drinks that can be decadent, nutritious, or both! Gone are the days when one simply pushed a banana and milk in a blender. In this book are complex and intricate ideas for wonderful treats.The book begins with a basic introduction to smoothies. Smoothies are for everyone, and there are appropriate smoothies for almost any time of day and any kind of taste. The nutrition and food/fruit guide at the beginning gives an overall view of things you need to know; particularly with regard to the fruit, preparation is important. Smoothies generally assume frozen fruit -- freezing in a certain way can lead to much greater convenience at the 'smooth' end. Similarly, the guide to different kinds of milk, juice, etc., and equipment for use is very handy.
Beyond this, the primary part of the book is organised into four sections, according to different kinds of smoothies.
**Wholesome Mergers**
These are for the health-food fans. Peaches, plums, nectarines, mangos, even rhubarb make an appearance in this section. There are sixteen recipes in all. Even the so-called 'Bad Boy' here is a healthy feast of boysenberries and blueberries.
**No-Moo Blends**
As the name would indicate, these smoothies are made from anything but standard dairy milk -- soy, rice, yogurt, tofu, anything but milk. Smoothies made with tea, with juices, with non-dairy products will be appreciated by vegetarian/vegan types, but also by others who won't know they're not supposed to like them!
**Decadent Medleys**
Here is where you can go wild with frozen yogurt, ice cream, chocolate additives, and the like. These are not just smoothies -- these are high-end, satisfying desserts. As the authors state, it takes tremendous willpower, upon making two servings, not to eat both servings yourself! Cheesecake, mocha, cappuccino -- anything sweet and decadent will do. Here is even a root-beer float like none other!
**Drunken Concoctions**
From the Tropical Teaser to the Sunset Sipper, these smoothies are just the thing for parties and small gatherings of good friends. Wine, rum, brandy, Grand Marnier, and more are used here, to no small effect.
The average smoothie takes only about ten minutes to make, given proper pre-planning and storage of the ingredients. The authors recommend storing and labelling in one-serving amounts, for ease of use later.
These are 'designer' smoothies -- they are not for the timid; the ingredients can be hard to come by (one needs a good quality grocer nearby). Yet these are delightful, unique treats, unlikely to be found even in the fanciest of restaurants and smoothie bars.
The book itself is a work of art, with stunning photography, innovative and modern graphic layout designs, full-colour format and sturdy, moisture-resistant pages (the better for the guide to be used in the kitchen). This makes a good recipe book and an interesting coffee-table book.
